Explaining the risk factors for hypertension and diabetes, the links between them and the Medicare benefits that can keep seniors healthy is the purpose of Connect the Dots: Diabetes and Your Heart — How Medicare Helps, an initiative by the National Council on Aging.

Among the risk factors are being overweight, physically inactive, high glucose, high cholesterol, consistently high blood pressure, age, gender, smoking, race, family history and waist circumference.

Both diabetes and hypertension can be treated and managed by following these tips: regular exercise, a healthy diet, taking medication as prescribed, not smoking and monitoring your glucose levels.

Medicare covers diabetes screenings, supplies and self-management training, eye exams, glaucoma tests, foot exams, medical nutrition therapy services and smoking cessation.

Medicare prescription drug plans typically cover insulin, oral therapies for diabetes and hypertension medications.

For more information about Connect the Dots, visit the National Council on Aging’s Web site at www.ncoa.org.

Seniors can obtain information about Medicare by calling (800) MEDICARE.

Medicare information also is available by visiting www.medicare.gov.